The good stuff is often found in unindexed microfilmed records that force us to skim through each individual record hoping to come across a familiar family name. Oddly, as a genealogist, the one thing I hate to do is read…
It’s not that I don’t know how to read or I struggle to read, I just don’t have time to read. I am a kind of person that reads the summary on the back of books and waits for the movie (except Harry Potter- I read those books).
I’ve come to a point in my research, where I think I’ve pretty much found as much as I could about the VESS family via Indexed records. You know, type in a few keywords and Whola! Desired records appears like magic! Only just recently have I started to make time, with a few cups of coffee, to scour thousands of microfilmed records.
I must admit, once the brain adjusts to deciphering Old English, local history bursts into life!
These records appear to be “continuance” notes. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find the original entry about what the dispute may have been about nor an entry about it’s resolution. I also cannot make out the last entry above. Others listed above, do have recorded resolutions. Either I missed it, due to the handwriting or the dispute was dismissed entirely and not worth recording.
Land Transfer 1793
Below is the deed transfer between Peter Vess and John Dunkin (Duncan) to John Spencer in 1793. The transcribed typed document, Patrick County deeds 1791-1801, mentions Peter’s wife, but Peter’s wife is not mentioned here.
Other Interesting Records: 1794
In 1794, we can probably safely assume that Peter Vess had left Patrick County, VA; however, there are a couple of records I think are pretty interesting.
Below, we see that Charles Vest, father of William Tunwell Vest, was in Patrick County, VA in 1794. Is this proof that Peter Vess belongs to the Charles Vest family (Haplogroup I)?
Not necessarily, largely because Charles Vest, per other court records, tells us he traveled a lot. He was a manufacturer (builder) by occupation and he often traveled to other counties putting in building bids. An interesting account is via a record in Guilford County, NC where he put in a bid to rebuild the Guilford Court house (after it was destroyed by a battle); however, he “walked out” and never came back. Due to his absence, the bid was granted to another bidder.
Another record I found interesting, looks to be like a record for a John Gosnell. It would be interesting if the Gosnell family was also in Patrick County, VA at the same time as Peter and William Vess, as that may further support a connection between Nathaniel Vess and Peter Vess. The Whitlock family is also in Patrick County, VA.
A genetic genealogy method known as Triangulation recently suggests the VESS family may have a SPARKS – ROSE maternal ancestor. I think this is incredible, unfortunately, I was on a hot trail until I accidentally lost all my recent research due to epic user error. So, below is a look at the bits and pieces of what I’ve been working on lately…
Not Too Far From Foxtrap
Hidden in plain sight, I discovered SPARKS, HESTER, and WILLIS families west of Foxtrap (Franklin County, AL). Interestingly, these families have documented history with records dating back as early as 1820! FINALLY!
A few SPARKS family websites reference Russellville, but they also mention an earlier place called, “Frankfort,” which is actually on the plat-map (below). I am guessing Frankfort came first, as we know that many of the early residents in the area had to travel north for supplies.
Below, I outlined Foxtrap and Mountain Star (red box) where Willis VESS and John WILLIS have property. And I outlined (blue box) the SPARKS, HESTER, and WILLIS, west of Foxtrap area. I also highlighted Frankfort, family cemeteries and Foxtrap / Mt. Star, just to give you an idea where the families are geographically from one another.
It is strongly believed that Willis VESS was named after the WILLIS family, suggesting the two families may have a longer history together. At this time, I do not know if John WILLIS (neighbor to Willis Vess) is connected to the WILLIS family in the Frankfort area; however, further research strongly suggests a likely connection.
Andrew Jackson Willis & Artamissa Sparks
My discovery of the SPARKS, HESTER, and WILLIS families, was accidental. Somehow I came across records of Andrew Jackson Willis and Artamissa Sparks.
Again, I am not sure if Andrew Willis and John Willis are related. It pretty much led me to a dead end. However, I was able to find information on the Sparks family:
Artamissa was born in Spartanburg County, SC (1816).
Her parents are William Sparks and Eunice Woodruff.
William Sparks lived on the Enoree River. In the 1820 census, he is listed on a page with Nancy Pool, Woodruff family, and looks like a John Willis.
He was born in Wilkes County, NC.
He is a descendant of Mathew Sparks and Sarah Thompson. (Thompson is a big name in Franklin County, AL too)
I match with the Sparks family on both sides of my family (just to make it more challenging). However, I do match with a Hester line from Franklin County, Alabama (they are shown on the map above too, with Sparks and Willis families). This is a 5th-8th cousin, descendant of William Sparks and Eunice Woodruff.
Artamissa’s brother, married Nancy Benson who is from White County, Tennessee. I am not sure if she is related to David Benson who is in connection with Charles Travers in Anson County, NC.
Now, I also match with a descendant of William Sparks (1783-1869) and Rhoda Pennington (4-6th cousin) of White County, Tennessee.
This William Sparks is brother to Solomon Sparks Sr. who married Sarah Thompson. Solomon and Sarah had Reuben Sparks, who had John Sparks that married Elizabeth Rose, daughter of Emmanuel Rose (Wilkes County, NC).
I also match with descendants of Solomon’s other son, John Wesley Sparks who married Sarah Shores.
It appears all these Spark families are related, but the family tree is a little complicated.
William Sparks, husband of Eunice Woodruff, is a descendant of Matthew Sparks, who is supposedly (it differs between sources) the brother of William and Solomon Sparks (mentioned above). Between different sources, the generations differ, but all of them at one point or another connect to Joseph Sparks. It’s very confusing.
Also, I match with a descendant of Jonas James Sparks from Tazewell County, VA. I am not sure how he falls on the Sparks family tree.
So, there is definitely a Sparks connection on the Vess side!
William Sparks and Rhoda Pennington are very intriguing because they settled in White County, Tennessee. Pennington is a big name in Franklin County, Alabama. Anna Popejoy says Pennington families traveled with the Whitlock family. Rhoda Pennington is supposedly the daughter of Major Jacob David Pennington and Mary Tuttle (both born in SC). I don’t know how William Sparks ended up in White County, TN, but he’s not the only Sparks to do so. It probably had something to do with the War of 1812 or crossing over from Wilkes County, NC.
Sparks has a connection with Duncan and Watson, which are family names on the Patrick County, VA deed list with Peter and William Vess. I am not sure if it’s related, but I just wanted to make note of it.
*Note: Some of my DNA matches to descendants of the Sparks Family of Wilkes County, VA may also be via the COX family. My great-grandmother Pearl Lena Cox married my great-grandfather James Elmer Vess. At this time, I believe my DNA matches with the VICE family (South Carolina and KY) and VESS family from Tazewell County, VA might also be through my COX line connected through the Cordell family. [Not confirmed yet]
Exploring Wilkes County, North Carolina: William Vest
We find a William Vest in Wilkes County, as early as 1789. Records confirm he is not William Tunwell Vest of Stokes County, NC. William is listed on the 1790 census record next to Thomas Hodge.
Thomas Hodge was born in Virginia, possibly having ties with the Hodge family in Franklin County, Virginia (Vess family has genetic ties to the Hodge family in VA-specific connection not known yet). Thomas Hodge has a documented history which states his family settled in a place called Hodges Gap.
Hodges Gap is located in the town of Boone, in today’s Watauga County, NC. Watauga County was established in 1849 from parts of Ashe, Caldwell, Yancey, and Wilkes. The town Boone was named after Daniel Boone of Wilkes County. From my perspective, overlaying these county maps, Hodges Gap appears to have once been part of Wilkes County (which explains why Thomas Hodge and William Vest are close together on a Wilkes County census record).
Also, on the same page of the 1790 census are numerous Rose families. The Sparks family (related to Solomon Sparks) is also in Wilkes County, NC at this time, but there is also a few Sparks families in Surry County, NC too.
Now, Wilkes County is a mess when it comes to boundary changes. Wilkes County was established in 1778 from Surry County, NC and Washington District.
State of Franklin and Washington District (Watauga Association)
There is no better place than here for ancestors to disappear!
Portions of Wilkes County, NC was once part of the Washington District, which was part of the brief existence of the State of Franklin. The State of Franklin comprised of several Tennessee Counties and the Washington District, where the Washington District eventually dissolved into Washington County, TN, that once extended to parts of Wilkes County (which is now part of Watauga County).
I know, super confusing!
Anyway, the Washington District was established by settlers of the Watauga, Nolichucky, and Holston river valleys who created their own short-lived government called the Watauga Association.
The Holston River is where we find James Heron (who also has land in Abbeyville Co. SC as well as in Patrick County, VA along side William Vess/Voss and Peter Vess), Henry Vice, and the White family who later have connections with Johnathan Vess via his wife Elizabeth Heron who married Peter White.
So, clearly there is a lot going on up there in the Washington District area.
I haven’t looked up all the names above, but I can tell you that Zac Isbell stands out.
There is an Isbell family in Franklin County, Alabama near Willis Vess. Miller Isbell (below) is related to Zach Isbell (above). I am still in the process of researching more information about this, but I thought that was pretty interesting.
Sparks Family in Rutherford County, North Carolina: Possible Connections To Peter Vess
Vince sent me a potential lead about a Sparks family in Rutherford County, North Carolina, which really made things interesting!!
In Rutherford County, NC there is a Sparks family via Lewis Morgan Sparks, son of John Sparks.
According to the link Vince sent me, “Sparks Cemetery – A Civil War Era Memorial,” by David Abbott, John Sparks is often confused with John Sparks in Wilkes County, related to Solomon Sparks. So, there is a possibility that perhaps the Sparks-Rose connection we get via Triangulation may be referring to this line, instead of the Solomon line. Further research is needed though.
John Sparks in Rutherford County, NC supposedly has connections with Spartanburg County, South Carolina (Enroee / Tyger River area). There is a Sparks family in Spartanburg County, SC (Matthew Sparks 1790) who is from Maryland and they are neighbors with Richard Willis, which is interesting, because I believe John Willis in Franklin County, Alabama maybe related to Richard Willis of Spartanburg County, SC (not confirmed yet).
Early census records show the Sparks and Willis family are close to the Pool family, who has family connections with Henry Pettit (neighbor of Peter Vess in 1820).
The Sparks family in Rutherford County, North Carolina lived on Sandy Run and Shoal Creek, near Willis Branch (map below). Even in North Carolina, the Sparks and Willis families are close together. Interesting to note, Henry Pettit later obtains land in this area too.
This area is located in today’s Cleveland County (was once part of Rutherford County). North of Shoal Creek, we interestingly have “Knob Creek.” This is not the Knob Creek near Bill’s Creek, but Knob Creek near the Lincoln County line, where the Mooney family lives and where the Tryon courthouse was located (a family home). Turns out, Knob Creek is also Township 10 in Cleveland County.
According to Abbott, Lewis Morgan Sparks was married to Sarah Bridges, daughter of Samuel Bridges and Mary Hamrick. Bridges and Hamrick are super familiar family names and I can’t tell you how excited I was when I pulled up the record in which I remembered seeing those names: 1820 census record for Peter Vess!
Another interesting find, is that the neighbor of Samuel Bridges on the 1820 census is ALFRED WEBB. Could Alfred Webb Vess be named after Alfred Webb?? Also, James Logan is in the area too! Esom Logan (above) is the son of James Logan!
Further research on the Bridges and Hamrick families reveals they were once neighbors with a George Vaughn. Could he be related to Pugnance Vaughn, wife of Peter Vess of VA or Margaret Vaughn, wife of John Vess of AL??
Prior research narrowed Peter’s location to a Knob Creek and now current research appears to have narrowed it down even further, possibly to Sandy Run / Shoal Creek area!! Which makes total sense! The Mooney family had lots of property in this area too, which could explain David Mooney on the 1820 census record above.
My Final Thoughts
Current research strongly suggests some kind of triangle-connection between North /South Carolina border area – Franklin County, Alabama – and Tennessee/North Carolina area. Pretty much all the leads I come up with bounce between these three geographical places.
It is plausible our Vess family trail is lost in the area that was once part of the short-lived State of Franklin and there definitely appears to be a Vess connection somewhere with the Sparks family.
I am excited to have narrowed down Peter Vess to a more specific (much more plausible) area in Rutherford County, North Carolina in 1820.
I still have a handful of leads to explore! I am so excited!
If there is one thing in Vess Genealogy that bothers me the most, it is the close genetic connection between Peter and Willis Vess. I mean, how are they so closely related?
A number of descendants of Willis Vess show as DNA matches on my Autosomal DNA test, which means there is an early connection somewhere between 6-8 generations back. For me, my 3rd great-grandfather, Andrew Logan Vess, would be the 6th generation. Is Willis Vess the brother of Peter Vess?
Andrew Logan Vess
Before we found out that Peter and Willis Vess were part of the same Vess family (via Y-DNA), I figured I must be connected to Willis Vess through an ancestor on my mother’s side, whose family also had deep roots in Georgia and the Carolinas. But, now I know descendants of Willis Vess also show up as DNA matches for a number of other descendants of Peter Vess.
So, where does Peter and Willis Vess fall on the Vess family tree?
Consistent Geographical Places
As research continues, we have discovered that the Vess family live in communities whose residents appear to be consistently associated with the same geographical places:
1. Enroee River, Spartanburg County, South Carolina 2. Abbeville County, South Carolina 3. Wilkes County, North Carolina 4. White County, Tennessee
You would think that mountainous terrain and dangerous confrontations with Native Americans would have hindered families from traveling large distances; however, that is far from the truth. Many early families owned and maintained land in other states; in which often required the head of household to travel back and forth for business. A lot of families were also uprooted due to wars or the expansion of the new frontier.
Connections To Abbeville County, South Carolina
What also boggles my mind, is that while we find early Vess families in communities associated with common geographical places, there still appears to be no early existence of the Vess family. Generally, one would expect to find at least 1 or 2 close relatives hanging around nearby, as families often traveled together. But in our case, it is as if Peter and Willis Vess, even Jonathan and Nathaniel Vess, seemingly appear into their community out of nowhere!
What is even more curious, is that Alfred Webb Vess, son of Peter Vess, settled in Georgia (prior to the Civil War), while the rest of the Vess family pretty much stayed in North Carolina. Why did he move out of state?
Alfred Webb Vess
It is interesting to note, that he left North Carolina in the early 1850’s, which may have been after the death of his mother, Catherine. In 1860, the entire Rutherford County, N.C. Vess family is shown having had split their ways, with the youngest of Peter and Catherine’s children shown to be living with another family (largely suggesting Catherine had died).
I have yet to figure out why the youngest children of Peter and Catherine went to live with a man named Dempsey Sumner in Buncombe County, NC. I have not found any evidence suggesting any kind of family connection between them. However, I do have reason to believe, Sumner may have given Jasper an apprenticeship, for that Jasper later acquired some of him land. [Note: Indentured servant contracts were still going on prior to the Civil War.]
Alfred Webb Vess married Mary Elizabeth McFarlin, daughter of Benjamin McFarlin and Nancy Stone. They married in 1853, in Franklin County, Georgia, not too far from Mary’s roots in Abbeville County, South Carolina.
Is that a clue that the Vess family also had early roots in Abbeville County, South Carolina, as other research suggests? Was there Vess family in Abbeville County, SC that Alfred went to after Catherine’s death?
Franklin County, Georgia- Abbeville County, South Carolina
This intrigues me, because many residents in Franklin County, Alabama also have earlier connections with Abbeville County, SC. Jonathan Vess of Texas also appears to have connections with Abbeville County, SC, through the families his children married (like McBee and McCullough families). In addition, James Heron (from Patrick County, VA) also owns land in Abbeville County, South Carolina and do not even get me started on the bulk of Travis families who descend from Cork, Ireland also living in Abbeville County, SC, with one of them becoming an important part of early Texas history [William B. Travis: The Battle of the Alamo].
Exploring The TRAVESS Name
Earlier this week, I’ve started to explore the TRAVESS name. I find it interesting that this name is found in Caroline County, Maryland. Although Y-DNA tells us there is no recent connection between the Vess family and the Travers family of Dorchester, Maryland (next to Caroline County); that doesn’t mean, a different Travers family (perhaps with a similar name) wasn’t ever in Maryland. The TRAVESS name, is interestingly, a name that can also be found in both England and Ireland, particularly in Lancashire, England and Donegal (not Cork), Ireland.
Unfortunately, there is no DNA evidence (as of yet) suggesting a connection with any early TRAVESS families (not even sure if TRAVESS is even related to TRAVERS); however, it is a name variant (along with TRAVIS) that we might want to take in consideration when exploring these earlier common geographical places; as it is abundantly clear that our family’s mysterious tracks throughout early Colonial America are hidden behind a different surname.
We’ve made a new significant discovery, but we need your help!
If you have completed an Autosomal DNA test through Ancestry or 23andMe, please help us by transferring your results for free to Familytreedna.com so that we can continue our research. If you need help completing the process or have any questions, please email vessgenealogy@gmail.com for assistance.
What Is Triangulation: Genetic Genealogy
Triangulation is a method used in genetic genealogy where segments of DNA are analyzed and compared between shared DNA matches. Those who share the same segments of DNA are likely to share a common ancestor and their family trees (and family histories) provide clues to help identify those common ancestors.
Recent Findings Via Triangulation: Rose-Sparks Connection
Vincent Vess is working on using triangulation methods to identify the parents of Peter Vess and Catherine Cook. His recent finds are super intriguing!
He analyzed segments of DNA of 3 different VESS descendants whose most recent common ancestors are Peter Vess and Catherine Cook. Each, different descendant, descends from a different son of Peter and Catherine [Andrew Logan, Jasper, and Josiah Vess]. The importance of having different descending lines from Peter and Catherine not only help confirm a solid Vess connection, but also helps in identifying early maternal lines (the parents of Catherine Cook).
He then triangulated one segment of DNA on the 5th Chromosome with other shared DNA matches who have public family trees. He discovered 4 matches who share the same segment of DNA as the 3 Vess descendants, yet none of those 4 matches have VESS in their family trees; suggesting all 7 matches share an earlier common ancestor prior to Peter and Catherine Cook.
Between the 4 matches, he discovered they share common connections with Emmanuel ROSE and Reuben SPARKS families in Wilkes County, North Carolina.
The connection between Rose and Sparks maybe recent, for that those names come up frequently as shared DNA matches in Ancestry for both Vincent and I (we suspect it will for other Vess families too).
Wilkes County Is Our Mark
Ever wonder about that War of 1812 record with Peter Vest listed on it?
A good portion of names listed have no records in Surry County. In fact, only 15 of them can be found on the 1810 census record, most having earlier land records, suggesting they were older soldiers. Most of the other names listed are younger soldiers who were not head of household yet in 1810 and many of them actually have later connections with Wilkes County. This is because Wilkes County was made from parts of Surry County in 1777 and a few names on the list (confirmed by maps) had their properties split by the county border. Although no longer part of Surry County, their close proximity to the border probably had them doing much of their business in Surry County, which explains why so many were drafted under Surry County rather than Wilkes County. Is this the case for Peter Vess?
North-Western North Carolina: Migration Routes Converged
Earlier ancestors of the names listed above have original land records issued by Rowan County, for that Rowan County once covered the western parts of North Carolina. When Surry County was formed, the portion of what will become Wilkes County was the District of Washington (but it only lasted a year). In 1777, Wilkes was created in between Surry County and Washington County (formerly District of Washington).
In 1784, the short-lived STATE OF FRANKLIN was formed, mixing records like a tossed salad with the formation of Wayne County (State of Franklin) in a good portion of Wilkes County.
This affected many families in the surrounding areas, especially, those living in Wilkes County.
Why is this important to Vess Genealogy? Because what we have discovered is that many families coming down the Great Wagon Road or those coming up from South Carolina into Tennessee, all converge in this area at one time or another. This was the area in which families traveled across the Cumberland Gap into Kentucky, into Tennessee, or down into the Carolinas.
Vincent Vess discovered the following names listed on a North Carolina, U.S. Census, 1784-1787 (Ancestry.com).
Samuel McQueen/Queen, John Sparks, Joshua Pennington, Richard Estes, William Sparks, Thomas Hodges, Agnis Nichols, Robert Whiteside, William Underwood, William Pennington, Jacob Nichols, Joseph Pruitt, Emmanuel Rose, John Turner, James Webb, Stephen Caudill, Roger Turner, William Hodges, James Caudill, Benjamin Rose, Timothy Buttery, John Rose Sr., Abraham Cook, Thomas Cook…
These names are extremely familiar to us as they are becoming more repetitive in our family research.
Also, included in this list of names is a William Vest, who we have not been able to identify his origins yet. Perhaps, he might have a connection with James Harvey Vest due to the presence of the Caudill family or maybe he is related to Peter Vest on the Surry County War of 1812 record?
Reuben Sparks and Emmanuel Rose
The 4 matches (as mentioned earlier) are connected to the Sparks and Rose families of Wilkes County.
Reuben Sparks and Emmanuel Rose are of the same generation as Peter and Catherine Cook, so a common ancestor would likely be someone prior to them.
These families are intriguing for a number of reasons, but one particular fact that interests us (or at least me) is that both families originated in Maryland, with the Sparks family having come from Frederick County, Maryland and the Rose family having come from Calvert County, Maryland. Note: Calvert is across from Dorchester County, Maryland (Travers family).
Following Geographical Features Rather Than Records
Fortunately, the father of Reuben Sparks, Solomon Sparks, has a lengthy recorded history. He first settled in Surry County when it was Rowan County, then his land was split between Surry and Wilkes County, making him a Wilkes County resident. We can easily track where the Sparks family have gone, for that notes are specific on the Rivers and Creeks in which the Sparks family resided on, making it much easier to locate records due to county changes.
We can use the geographical features mentioned in the genealogical notes provided by the Sparks family to reconstruct the community (like we did for the Tyger River community in SC) further identifying more families in the area that may offer more clues to Vess Genealogy.
Both Sparks and Rose families lived off the Yadkin River, something I look forward to further investigating.
Rose & Travers Family in Anson County, North Carolina
Emmanuel Rose may have a brother named Samuel Rose, who supposedly ended up in Anson County, North Carolina. He is found on the 1763 taxpayer record. Interestingly, so is John Travis (Travers).
John Travis, is supposedly the son of Dr. Edward Travers who came from Cork, Ireland. Also, we recently discovered a Charles Travers in Anson County, NC who may be the brother of John Travis (Travers). Research states John Travis ended up in Abbeville County, South Carolina; which is another place of interest in Vess Genealogy.
Is there a connection? I am interested in finding out!
Genetic Genealogy: The Door To Answers
Genetic genealogy helps us identify specific families that we share a common ancestor. By exploring these families, we can narrow down the genealogical search to specific geographical places.
We have genetic proof that our name changed, but we don’t exactly know when our name changed to VESS, making it very difficult to find early records. Identifying families we are closely related to can help us explore the areas they once lived, thus helping us look for evidience of families with names similar to Vess or Travers.
At this time, we have no genealogical proof of Catherines maiden name (is it really COOK?) nor Peter’s mother’s maiden name; so with more Autosomal DNA kits to analyze, compare, and triangulate, the more matches to family trees we can identify and further explore for answers to Vess Genealogy.
Research strongly suggests that Peter, Willis, and Nathan Vess may have common connections in South Carolina. In this post, we begin to explore these possible connections.
Please note that the opinions and thoughts in this post are based on my own personal point of view researching these families. Links to sources are provided to allow the reader / researcher to form their own opinions, thoughts, and conclusions.
Mapping Out Families
Using information obtained by South Carolina Digital Records, I was able to map a few families that may have connections with our earliest known ancestors: Pool, Pettit, Bellew, and Willis families. *Toney and Nicholl records have also been found, but are not mapped above.
Pool and Pettit families lived along the Pacelot River below Lawson’s Fork.
Bellew and Willis families lived along Fair Forest Creek.
Vice and Hembree families lived along Cain Creek branching out from the Tyger River.
Peter Vess: Pettit & Toney Families
According to Peter’s 1820 census record, he is listed next to David Mooney, Henry Pettit, James Young, and Abraham Toney. The Pettit and Toney families married each other and were members of Bill’s Creek Baptist Church with Peter Vess. [Bill’s Creek Baptist Church: Two Hundred Year History, by Helen M. Lu].
According to North Carolina’s Land grants and deed website and various other sources, David Mooney’s family has been in this area of North Carolina since the 1760’s (Tryon County), having traveled with the Eacker family. Living nearby in Lincoln County, North Carolina is the Boston Best and Charles Gosnell family. Boston Best has early land records in Tryon County, but I not sure if those properties are in modern-day North Carolina or South Carolina.
Interestingly, Boston Best (I believe to be Jr.) is on the 1790 Spartanburg County, South Carolina census record [below] near Henry Pettit, while his father Boston Best Sr. is listed next to Charles Gosnell in the 1790 Lincoln County, North Carolina census record. Charles Gosnell’s son, Joshua Gosnell, is listed next to Abraham Belue (Bellew) on the 1790 Spartanburg County, South Carolina census record – a few pages over from Henry Pettit.
Also, John Vice/Vise is on the same page of the 1790 Spartanburg County, South Carolina census record as Henry Pettit, but listed as John “Wise.” We can safely assume John “Wise” is John Vice, based on other families on the same page, such as Joel Hembree (Embry) who is a neighbor of John Vice per land records.
We know the Toney family was also in South Carolina. They appear to have been in South Carolina as early as the Revolutionary War (like Henry Pettit). I found a Toney family with a land record in Tyger River dated the same year that John Vice obtained land in the Tyger River area too [below].
According to family trees for the Toney family, Abraham Toney of Rutherford County, North Carolina (with Peter Vess) is supposedly related to Timothy Toney of South Carolina. There are numerous Abraham’s on the family tree and 2 of them went by William (Abraham William Toney) which has caused a lot of confusion, so further research is needed to confirm the two Toney families are related.
Also, I see John Stovall next to Henry Pettit on the 1790 census. I believe Ann Pool, Henry’s wife, is related to the Stovall family (her maternal line) and the Stovall family had connections with the prominent PENN and HAIRSTON families in Patrick County, Virginia where we find William and Peter Vess [1790-1801 Patrick County Deeds].
Dunneway is also an interesting name on the 1790 census [above]. There is a marriage record for Nathaniel Vice and Sarah Dunaway in Kentucky (1802). This is supposedly Nathaniel Vice Jr., brother of John Vice Sr. in South Carolina. There appears to be confusion over the numerous Nathaniels in the Vice family tree, so it is not certain how they are actually connected, further research is needed.
According to the Vice family trees, Nathaniel and John Vice are brothers…do they, perhaps have a brother named Peter? And, would this Peter have been the Peter from Patrick County, Virginia? If the VICE and VESS families are the same family, is this where our oral tradition about the three brothers: Peter, John, and Nathaniel come from?
Nathan Vess: Bellew & Gosnell Families
Nathan’s wife, Clarinda Bellew is supposedly a descendant of the Gosnell/Bellew families of the Dark Corners of South Carolina (Glassy Mountain, Greenville Co. SC) with her father being John Bellew and her mother being Clarinda Gosnell.
We can find Nathan Vess and John Bellew on the 1830 Rutherford County, North Carolina census record.
On the 1790 Spartanburg County, South Carolina census record [below], we have Joshua Gosnell (son of Charles Gosnell of Lincoln County, NC) and Abraham Bellew, who is supposedly Clarinda Bellew’s grandfather.
There are numerous records for the Bellew (Belue, Bellew) family in South Carolina, prior to them settling in Glassy Mountain, Greenville County. One record of interest, is a 1774 record for Abraham Belue on Dutchmans Creek along Tyger River [below]. This is dated much earlier than the Vice family; however, Pruitt is a name that appears to be connected to the Pettit and Vice families. Of course, further investigation is needed here too.
Coincidence or Fact: Mac-Hugh Story
According to one of our family’s oral traditions about an O’Donnell-Vess, the Vess family supposedly came over with an O’Neil and an O’Donnell family from Ireland. O’Neill, wanted by the English Crown, supposedly changed his name to Mac Hugh (for his red hair) and was highly respected by the Vess family.
This oral tradition is said to have been very important to the Vess family (descendants of David Andrew Vess and Magnolia Gosnell). Upon further investigation, I found that this story appears to be similar to 2 actual historical events: The O’Donnell and O’Neil clans from Northern Ireland (1500’s) and the infamous outlaw of South Carolina’s Dark Corners, Lewis Redmond.
Knowing more about the Dark Corners of South Carolina and its residents, it is extremely interesting a William “Readmond” and Thomas “Neal”are listed next to the Gosnell and Bellew families on the 1790 Spartanburg County, South Carolina census [above]; especially, since the Gosnell and Bellew families settled in Greenville County, South Carolina, in an area where Lewis Redmond will become a well-respected outlaw. Is he a descendant of William Readmond and were the Bellew, Gosnell, and Vess families connected to the Readmond and Neil families?
Willis Vess: Willis, Ligon, and Other Families
Willis Vess was supposedly born in 1810 in North Carolina, but records of him do not appear until 1830 in Franklin County, Alabama. Interestingly, sources say some of the Vice families migrated to Alabama and there is a document on Ancestry.com that was posted in 2011, stating John Roebuck Vise Sr. and Martha Pruitt having had a child named Willis born in 1810. Unfortunately, this does not confirm Willis Vise and Willis Vess are the same person. But, perhaps there is a connection…
The oldest children of Willis Vess and Talitha Whitlock married into the John Willis family who are shown to be neighbors in Foxtrap, Franklin County, Alabama [below].
Looking at South Carolina records, I came across the Ligon name (Robert Ligon) on a land record for John Pool [below]. Note: Pool, Rogers and Meadows have connections with the Vice family.
Then, looking at the Franklin Co. Alabama plat map [below], there in the Foxtrap area with Willis Vess and John Willis, is listed James and Abner Ligon. Further research states that James and Abner Ligon are the sons of Robert Ligon in South Carolina. Also, James Dubois is a family that was in Foxtrap as early as 1820, possibly one of the earlier settlers of the area and Dubois is also a name found in early records of Tyger River community in South Carolina.
Below is another interesting record. Here we find the Nicholls family (also found in Franklin County, Alabama) on a land record with the following families: Meadows (married Nathaniel Vice) Pettit (married Mary Vice) Rogers (neighbors of John Vice) Willis (maybe related to John Willis)
So, I can’t help but wonder: Could Willis Vess be related to the Vice family of South Carolina? And, could John Willis, neighbors of Willis Vess, be related to Richard Willis?
So many interesting discoveries and still so many more questions; butit appears that South Carolina may be the key to unraveling the mysteries of the Vess family!
I am so thrilled to have finally reached a new chapter in Vess Genealogy!
When I started this blog last Fall (August 2020), it was simply just a place to organize digital sources and share my genealogy experiences researching the Vess name. I gave it 2 months!
Remarkably, Vess Genealogy kept on going! I never would have ever imagined I would get to work with so many different people interested in the VESS name nor get an opportunity to meet so many different VESS families! This has been such an amazing genealogy adventure!
A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone helping me unravel the mysteries of the VESS family!
If New To Vess Genealogy, Here’s What You Missed!
For generations, three different VESS lines (maybe more) haven’t been able find their ancestors prior to 1820. A frustrating endeavor leaving many of us to just give up.
However, since last Fall, we achieved the following:
1. We learned more about Peter Vess and his family. 2. We learned a lot about Andrew Logan Vess and his family. 3. We likely uncovered Nathan’s origins in the Dark Corners of South Carolina. 4. We discovered that Peter and Willis Vess are closely related and that our family is closely related to the Travers family! 5. We explored families in Knob’s Creek from Peter’s 1820 census record. 6. We discovered “Vess” records in Virginia connected to an unknown Vest/Vess family! 8. We confirmed (via DNA) that the VESS family is not related to the BASS, BEST, WEST, or VEST families; eliminating them as possible family connections.
Brief Recap On Vess Genealogy
We now know that Peter, Willis, and Nathan Vess are related; however, we have not yet determined how they are related to each other.
Peter and Willis were born in North Carolina and Nathan was born in South Carolina. Peter first appears on record in Rutherford County, North Carolina in 1820 on Knobs Creek with the Toney, Pettit, and Mooney families (all members of Bill’s Creek Baptist Church).
Nathan’s first appearance on record is also in Rutherford County, North Carolina, but in 1830 with his in-laws, the Bellew family. The Bellew and Gosnell families are related and are prominent families in Glassy Mountain, Greenville County, South Carolina (aka Dark Corners). Also, Peter’s grandson, David Andrew Vess married Magnolia “Maggie” Gosnell, who is related to Nathan’s wife, Clarinda Bellew.
Willis first appears on record in Franklin County, Alabama in 1830. According to Anna Popejoy, long time researcher of the Vess and Whitlock families, states that the father of Willis Vess (John Vess) had been living in Foxtrap since 1819. Y-DNA analysis, via familytreedna.com, confirms Willis Vess and Peter Vess (Andrew Logan Vess) are definitely part of the same VESS family.
Familytreedna.com (FTDNA) also shows that the VESS and TRAVERS family are closely related; however, we do not know how they are related. There are several reasons as to why FTDNA may group two different surnames closely together; either we are extremely close cousins, one family that split apart during a time before surnames, or a male Travers ancestor took on the Vess name (orvice versa).To unravel this mystery, it would be extremely helpful to have more male Vess descendants participate in Y-DNA Testing.
The Travers family is from Lancashire, England and they have traced their family to Dorchester, Maryland. Whether there is a connection between the Vess and Travers family in Colonial America has yet to be discovered (the families may have split long before they arrived in America).
With the help of Y-DNA and documented family histories, we’ve been able to eliminate the BASS, BEST, WEST, and VEST families as potential ancestors for the Vess family.
The BASS family has a rich Native American background. The BEST family (original surname BOSCH) can trace their family back to their arrival in the 1740’s with the Ecker family (in-laws) from Germany. The WEST family has been ruled out by their extensive West Family DNA Project. And the VEST family, descendants of John Daniel Vest belong to an entirely different Haplogroup than our VESS family. To my knowledge, there is no available DNA information on the VASS/VOSS/ VAULX families.
We have recently discovered a VEST/VESS family in Patrick County, Virginia who may be related to the VEST/VESS family in Rockbridge, Virginia. We have yet to find any records suggesting that they may belong to the VEST family (John Daniel Vest), which is extremely encouraging for our VESS family, andtherefore a new chapter begins!
I am in the process of investigating the Life of Willis Vess and hopefully, with any luck, we can uncover some of Anna Popejoy’s research to help us! I plan to explore more families in and surrounding Patrick County, Virginia – including Surry and Stokes County, North Carolina. All in addition to finding out more about the VOSS/VASS/ VAULX families who seem to live very close to the TRAVERS family in both Dorchester, Maryland and the abolished Albemarle County in North Carolina.
Maps are really important in genealogy, especially, when searching for ancestors in the American Colonies prior to 1850.
The Problem With North Carolina Records
While the horrendous handwriting and awful misspellings of family surnames make record searching tedious, it also doesn’t help that many early records have been lost, destroyed, or even misplaced.
North Carolina has had a number of courthouse disasters in which records were tragically lost forever. But another reason early records are so scarce, is because of its history of ever-changing counties! It’s not that early records do not exist, they just aren’t archived in the correct county!
The state of North Carolina (along with other Colonial states) prior to 1850 often had “fun” with establishing counties! North Carolina, in particular, is a headache with 100 counties, many of which have had numerous changes in boundaries and an additional 5 counties that were formed and later abolished! Some earlier counties didn’t even know where their boundaries started or ended (Tryon County for an example).
When researching ancestors prior to 1850, it is important to identify a geological landmark in which they once lived, so that we can determine how many different counties covered that particular area. Once we identify all the possible counties, then we can dig into each of those county records!
My 4th great-grandfather’s property on Cedar Creek has been covered by 5 different counties: Tryon, Rutherford, Buncombe, Burke, (back to Rutherford), McDowell, and then back to Buncombe!
Records were supposed to transfer to the newly formed county, but that wasn’t always successful. Records pertaining to someone who lived in an area bordering another county (whose boundary lines were not well-defined) often caused confusion on where records were suppose to transfer to; especially, if the records had to be physically moved to a new courthouse. There is always that one box that gets left behind!
It is also important to remember that not every existing record is available to the public. There is a lot of records online, but much of it hasn’t been indexed yet for a quick search. It often requires a lot of browsing, scrolling and reading.
Whatever the reason records aren’t where we expect them to be, we can certainly take advantage of maps to help us try to locate them.
Rivers and Creeks were vital to every day life for our early ancestors. They traveled along them, they lived on them, they worked on them, and they built communities around them. Rivers and Creeks are the best types of landmarks to help us, not only to locate early records (with better defined keywords) in different counties but also learn more about their community to find families they likely traveled with to the new world.
While imaginary boundary lines were always changing, the landscape always remained the same.
Tryon County: Messy Boundaries
Tryon County, North Carolina no longer exists. It was a county that covered a vast area of land which included parts of Indian territory (to the west) and parts of South Carolina.
Many residents living near the border between North and South Carolina were a bit confused on which state they actually resided in, which likely complicated records (and probably taxes).
According to The Old Tryon County Genealogical Society website, The Southern Boundary of Tryon County, residents of Tryon County living on the border who considered themselves South Carolina residents may have records in Camden District, 96 District, or Craven County (SC).
To make matters even more complicated, Tryon County did not have a courthouse! According to Wikipedia (not my favorite source) and Journal of The American Revolution(a better source), states Christian Mauney (Mooney) conducted courthouse business on his land and “used his residence as a jail!”
Tryon was formed in 1768 and abolished in 1779 and then split into Rutherford and Lincoln County. Here’s an idea of how many county changes occurred within the Old Tryon County territory:
In 1783, Rutherford County further defined their boundaries, giving much of Tryon County’s western territory back to the Indians. In 1791, Rutherford lost more of it’s western boundary to newly formed Buncombe County, but the boundary lines slightly changed back and forth between 1791-1793 (apparently nobody could make up their mind). In fact, a sliver portion of Rutherford County was briefly part of Burke County!
In 1812, what is now known as Transylvania County (formed from Henderson County) lies the historical and mostly forgotten Walton County of Georgia, a disputed strip of land that resulted in the WALTON WAR between Georgia, North and South Carolina. Basically, long story short, North Carolina took it back. Interestingly, the strip of land was known as the ORPHAN STRIP and it was considered to be a hideout for deserters and outlaws.
After that, the western portion of Old Tryon County expanded westward and formed counties like Hays, Macon, and Henderson, and Transylvania.
However, Rutherford and Lincoln County was the most complicated of county changes, for that in 1841, Cleveland County established itself smack dab in the middle between Rutherford and Lincoln County. Then, in 1844, Rutherford lost its north-western corner to McDowell County. In 1845, Lincoln County lost its southern half to Gaston County. Polk County formed in the northern-western corner of Rutherford County, just below Lake Lure, and in 1921, Buncombe county took over the north-western corner of Rutherford County from McDowell County. This kind of mess would make anyone’s brain spin! mapofus.com
Finding A Map That Works!
My biggest challenge by far in Vess Genealogy has been trying to locate a map with North Carolina’s rivers and creeks! You would think it would be easy.
Of course, Google-maps is somewhat helpful, but it doesn’t show a lot of the creeks, especially, those mentioned on early land grants where most earlier settlers called home. Probably, because many of the creeks have dried up and disappeared along with history.
I need a map of Old Tryon County, but many maps of Tryon County are difficult to come by and those that are available are not detailed at all. The next best thing is to look at individual county maps, but again they are not as detailed and it makes it extremely difficult to see the full spectrum of an entire community of early settlers, especially, a community that has been broken up by different counties. Very frustrating!
However, I FINALLY stumbled upon a very useful map [below]. A map of the “Broad River Basin, which can be found on The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill library’s website: North Carolina Maps. I have NO IDEA how I found this website!!
Although this map is dated “1968,” it is exactly what I have been looking for! Not only does it show Rivers and Creeks, but also extends a little (just a little) outside the borders of Rutherford County, North Carolina. Basically, covering a good portion of Old Tryon County! Just want I needed!
Now We Are Getting Somewhere!
The first record of my earliest ancestor, Peter Vess, is an 1820 census record in Rutherford County, NC. After some research, I have determined that he was living on “Knobs Creek.”
Now that I finally have a decent map, I can use land records to determine nearby neighbors and begin to identify families who may have connections with him.
As of right now, I have complied a list of 19 land owners on and near Knobs Creek between 1775-1820. One by one, I am reviewing their land surveys.
Land survey’s (if they have one) tells me a lot! 1) Whose land they are joining (neighbor) 2) Whose properties their land touches (additional neighbors corners) 3) Witnesses (who are possibly close family or friends, some that don’t own land)
This is great, because I am finding more families who likely obtained land issued from Tryon County whose records were either lost, misplaced, or not available online yet.
However, I have just discovered that there are two Knob Creeks! I need to go back and review my research to determine which Knob Creek Peter Vess was likely living on in 1820. What is most exciting, is that the map I just recently found shows both Knob Creeks!
While reviewing land records, I have stumbled upon new interesting information which is beginning to form a somewhat crazy (or maybe not so crazy) new theory regarding my 4th great-grandfather’s origins! It will knock you off your feet!
Let’s start the New Year by reviewing what we know so far about the so-called three brothers from Ireland.
But first, a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has provided me information about their family history, lineage, and research!
The Three Brothers
According to our VESS family story, we descend from three brothers from Ireland: Jonathan, Peter, and Nathan (Nathaniel) Vess. However, records seem to tell a different story…
Records tell us that Jonathan, Peter, and Nathan Vess did in fact exist and that they all existed during the same time period (1790-1880); however, we have not yet found any records confirming their exact relationship to one another. Possibly, because they may have not been brothers at all, but perhaps a mix of relatives: 2 brothers and a father, cousins and 1 uncle, or 2 brothers and a grandfather.
The term brothers was often used to refer to any close male relationship: siblings, father, uncle, cousin, close family friend, or church member.
Interestingly, records tell us that Peter and Nathan were born in America (North and South Carolina). According to Nathan’s records, his parents were born in South Carolina. His family possibly lived in Glassy Mountain, Greenville, South Carolina with the Gosnell and Bellew families (who are related to Nathan’s wife, Clarinda Bellew). We have also discovered a new VESS line closely related to Peter, through a Willis Vess, whose records also state his parents were born in North Carolina.
If our VESS family does come from Ireland, research greatly suggests that our family arrived in America sometime prior to the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). And perhaps our family story is true, but we are looking at the wrong generation of men whose names were Jonathan, Peter, and Nathan; as it was once common practice that each generation be named after their forefathers.
VESS family in Patrick County, Virginia
We have recently discovered a “VESS” family in Patrick County, Virginia. As to-date, we have not been able to connect them to the prominent “VEST” family of Virginia; giving us hope that this pocket of Vess family is related to our VESS line.
The earliest records with the name “Vess” can be found in Virginia for a Samuel, Peter, Jonathan, and William Vess:
Jonathan Vess married Elizabeth Heron in 1792, Patrick County, VA. In 1820, Jonathan Vess and his wife Elizabeth migrated to the Republic of Texas [before Texas was a state]. He is written in the Texas history books, not only because he was one of the first families to travel with Stephen F. Austin (state capital is named after), but also the town of Morales, TX was established on his land and his daughter, Mary Lorena Vess, married Sam McCulloch, Jr., who was a Texas war hero and a man of color.
We have found Revolutionary War records under the “Vess” name, for a Samuel, Peter, and William Vess. Peter being distinguished as a Corporal.
In addition, Patrick County, VA tax records 1790-1799 lists Samuel and Peter “Vess.”
Lastly, there is a War of 1812 record for a “Peter Vest” in Surry County, North Carolina. Thus far, we have not been able to connect him to any of the VESS or VEST families in the area; including the nearby VEST family of Stokes County, NC. However, it should be noted that Patrick County, VA is located directly above Surry County, North Carolina. We also cannot confirm that this Peter “Vest” is the same person as our Peter Vess of Rutherford County, North Carolina.
The Discovery of Willis VESS – DNA Connection
I believe the most significant find of last year, for me at least, was discovering another Vess line closely related to Peter and Nathan: Willis Vess of Franklin County, Alabama.
Familytreedna.com
DNA has confirmed Peter, Nathan, and Willis Vess to be closely related; however, we do not know exactly how they are related to one another.
Y-Chromosome DNA on FamilytreeDNA.com has connected Willis and Peter’s line together and it is AncestryDNA.com, that confirms a “close” relationship between the two lines through shared DNA-relatives.
However, I suspect the relationship to be distant, for that I share more DNA-relatives with Nathan’s line than I do with those on Willis’s line. This may suggest that Nathan is likely more closely related to Peter than Willis; with Nathan and Peter as siblings/half-siblings and Willis a possible cousin. However, this could be inaccurate, largely depending on how many descendants on each line have tested through AncestryDNA.com.
Nonetheless, Willis lived during the same time period as Jonathan, Peter, and Nathan, so we can confidently suggest the connection is either through a parent or grandparent. Which brings me to Willis’s father, John Vess, who was supposedly born in North Carolina (1770) and married Margaret Vaughn.
The Vest Family of Virginia and North Carolina
Virginia
South Carolina
Many researchers suggest John Vess (father of Willis VESS) to be the son of William Tunwell Vest of Stokes County, North Carolina; however, I do not believe this to be true. I have researched the Vest family of Virginia and North Carolina extensively and have not found any records connecting the Vess and Vest families together.
William Tunwell Vess had 5 sons, Samuel, William, Charles, Isham, and John. According to my research (which could be wrong, of course), Samuel and William married “Cannifax” sisters, Charles married a “Doty,” Isham married a “Briggs” and a “Page,” and John married a “Ray.” I have not found any DNA relationships with any of their descendants.
If the Vest and Vess lines are related, they must be related distantly.
However, it may be worth looking into a James Harvey Vest, who is said to be born in Patrick County, VA in 1838. He married Rachel Jane Harper and Mary Calhoun. The reason I mention him, is because FamilytreeDNA has a VESS-VEST DNA Project Group, which states they have found a DNA connection with 2 members related to “VESS.”
We do know for a fact that some VESS lines do descend from the VEST family; however, none of those Vess lines seem to connect with our VESS line.
The VOSS Name
I am often told that our name used to be pronounced, “VOSS.”
Interestingly, there is a VOSS family in North Carolina with Greenbury Voss in Casewell County, North Carolina. He was supposedly born in Maryland and died in Pittsylvania, Virginia, having raised his family in Casewell, North Carolina. I truly have not done much research on the Voss family; however, records for this family include the surnames: VOSS, VASS, VESS, and VAUSE.
Greenbruy Vess may be worth looking further into for several reasons: 1) Records can be found with the Vess name. 2) His sons married into the Cook family that is related to the Cook family who attended Bills Creek Baptist Church (late 1800’s). 3) They are supposedly related to the Vause family in Georgia, who were in Georgia when Peter’s son, Alfred Vess, migrated there. 4) There is a Voss related to Greenbury Voss in Alabama (or Tennessee, if I remember correctly) near Willis’s Vess family! 5) Pittsylvania, Virginia is next to Patrick and Henry County, Virginia. 6) The Gonsell family (connected to Nathan) is from Maryland.
Conclusion
In short, there is no final conclusion as there is still more to explore and discover! The information we discovered and collected last year will certainly help us with our genealogy journey.
Any information you would like to share with us to help us with our research, please feel free to post in the comment sections or join our Facebook Group! I absolutely look forward to sharing new genealogy adventures with you!
Vess Genealogy 